The relevant portion regarding Tesla and Musk:
MW: Do you have a favorite among the cars you've been associated with, or is that like asking a dad to pick his favorite child?
Lutz: I've been identified with a lot of successful cars, but I guess the last one in my career that was groundbreaking was the Chevrolet Volt because it was an entirely new and different technology.
MW: Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. You're on the record as saying the electric vehicle was inevitable, but you're not a fan of some of the models out there, particularly ones made by Tesla.
Lutz: I'm a great fan of the vehicles. I'm certainly a great fan of the Model S. The Model X isn't working too well because it doesn't have enough roof structure, so those doors are never going to work. The Model 3 -- we'll see what happens with that. I think it's going to be delayed again.
My argument with Tesla is the business. It's a cult stock, and I've been saying for months that the business model doesn't work. They're losing a ton of money. They're running out of cash. Their sales are sideways to down.
MW: What would you say to someone who bought one of the pre-orders for the Model 3? Are they wasting their time?
Lutz: I would say be prepared for far more delays than you have bought into, and secondly, be prepared to pay more than what you thought you were going to pay.
MW: Can you foresee a time when electric cars will become as mainstream as gasoline cars?
Lutz: The problem today is that electric cars -- because of the battery -- cost more to make. Tesla's big problem is that other producers like GM, Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz -- everybody is going to be producing electric vehicles at a loss, a deliberate loss to get them in the market. Tesla doesn't have that luxury. Tesla has to live off the electrics. That's going t o be very tough when everybody else is selling them at a loss.
MW: Elon Musk recently announced plans to ramp up production of the Model 3 a lot sooner than people thought. There's a lot of skepticism about whether the plan is technologically feasible. Do you share that skepticism?
Lutz: You know, Elon Musk is a wonderful guy. He's a visionary. He's personally charming. He's the eternal optimist. [However,] he does make a lot of claims and a lot of statements that as time goes by prove to be not to be quite accurate. Every time somebody tries to focus in on the here and now, he dangles another grand vision in front of them.
Maverick "car guy" Bob Lutz still pulls no punches
MW: Do you have a favorite among the cars you've been associated with, or is that like asking a dad to pick his favorite child?
Lutz: I've been identified with a lot of successful cars, but I guess the last one in my career that was groundbreaking was the Chevrolet Volt because it was an entirely new and different technology.
MW: Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. You're on the record as saying the electric vehicle was inevitable, but you're not a fan of some of the models out there, particularly ones made by Tesla.
Lutz: I'm a great fan of the vehicles. I'm certainly a great fan of the Model S. The Model X isn't working too well because it doesn't have enough roof structure, so those doors are never going to work. The Model 3 -- we'll see what happens with that. I think it's going to be delayed again.
My argument with Tesla is the business. It's a cult stock, and I've been saying for months that the business model doesn't work. They're losing a ton of money. They're running out of cash. Their sales are sideways to down.
MW: What would you say to someone who bought one of the pre-orders for the Model 3? Are they wasting their time?
Lutz: I would say be prepared for far more delays than you have bought into, and secondly, be prepared to pay more than what you thought you were going to pay.
MW: Can you foresee a time when electric cars will become as mainstream as gasoline cars?
Lutz: The problem today is that electric cars -- because of the battery -- cost more to make. Tesla's big problem is that other producers like GM, Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz -- everybody is going to be producing electric vehicles at a loss, a deliberate loss to get them in the market. Tesla doesn't have that luxury. Tesla has to live off the electrics. That's going t o be very tough when everybody else is selling them at a loss.
MW: Elon Musk recently announced plans to ramp up production of the Model 3 a lot sooner than people thought. There's a lot of skepticism about whether the plan is technologically feasible. Do you share that skepticism?
Lutz: You know, Elon Musk is a wonderful guy. He's a visionary. He's personally charming. He's the eternal optimist. [However,] he does make a lot of claims and a lot of statements that as time goes by prove to be not to be quite accurate. Every time somebody tries to focus in on the here and now, he dangles another grand vision in front of them.
Maverick "car guy" Bob Lutz still pulls no punches
